The Perfect Party: February 2012

The guests we’d most like at our dinner table this month.

1/26/2012 at 12:00pm
Published in the February 2012 issue of
Portland Monthly

IBRAHIMMUBARAK Tonight’s subject: persistence. Leader: this smooth-talking street-life entrepreneur. A decade ago, Mubarak cofounded the cause célèbre tent city Dignity Village. This winter he became the face of Chinatown’s tenuous “Right 2 Dream Too” camp at NW Fourth and Burnside. When the city demanded permits, Mubarak appealed for “the good of the houseless.” Hey, Occupy Portland—maybe Ibrahim offers tutorials!

LINDALINDSAY Raise a glass to the owner of Yamhill County’s Stone Wolf Vineyards! After years of quiet charitable efforts, Lindsay went big in December, with food and clothing donations that aided about 4,000 people. Cheers, Linda, for making spirits bright.

ROBERTCOSTANZA We stocked the fridge for this Portland State sustainability prof, who led a research team that advised the Southeast Asian nation of Laos to put the brakes on major proposed Mekong River dams. While the Laotians ponder the fish vs. hydropower question, a round of chilly Beer Lao for the table.

BILLLYNCH Jive Software’s boffo IPO—stock surged 25 percent above its debut price on its first day—gave us Wall Street fever. The only bummer: the corporate social-networking company, fostered in Portland, moved its headquarters to some so-called “Silicon Valley” last year. Fortunately, Jive left scores of employees behind, including cofounder Lynch. Bill, we predict your reported $100 million stake will make you mighty popular around town—starting at this table.

“Journey” No, our “celebrity wolf” isn’t likely to join us. His 700-plus-mile ramble from the state’s far east—where the Imnaha wolf pack has been a flashpoint between greens and ag—recently took this lupine wanderer to California. Still, let’s give a howl. Wolves may be controversial, but we can all appreciate the call of the wild.